Chapter 12 - "Best. Reunion. Ever."
"Be it fortune, flesh, or fame
Surely something calls your name"
- "The Betrayal" - The Masterpiece, A Toymaker's Dream Soundtrack
oOo
"Excellent work, Miles." Lewis Dodgson held the phone to his ear and listened to his contact's rushed talking. He sat in the conference room in the dead of night. "I just heard from Nima and Oscar, you all did a fabulous job making sure my favorite hacker got cornered! Be on stand-by in case I need you again, and yes, you'll be paid handsomely for this assignment."
He hung up the phone just as Howard King and George Baselton rushed into the conference room, excited and eager to tell him the news.
"You may wanna come out for this, Dr. Dodgson," Baselton said. "They're here."
"Back already?!" He tossed his glasses on the table. "Holy shit, they outdid themselves."
They left the conference room and followed King to the front entrance of the building. Dodgson saw the van back up so that the rear doors were close to the entrance. The van stopped and Sonya Durant stuck her head outside of the window on the driver's side.
"Check it out, Lew. Special delivery!"
Baselton opened the doors to the building's entrance while King gestured for Dodgson to go out first and then he followed. Dodgson hurried outside and waited with his arms folded across his chest as the van's doors were opened from inside the vehicle. Roland Tembo and Raúl Lopez came over to the van's opening.
"Where the fuck is he?" Dodgson demanded.
"He's right here delivered as promised. Raúl, you grab the feet and I'll get the head." Tembo said, nodding towards Lopez. "Henry, get him in the center. Let's give Dr. Dodgson what he asked for."
Dodgson waited and then he heard them dragging something—or someone. The inside of the van was dark, so Dodgson only caught a glimpse of someone laying facedown. Lopez jumped down from the van and turned around to pull the bound ankles towards him. Henry Wu exited the van and watched impassively as Tembo joined Lopez outside the van. Together they yanked out Dennis Nedry, throwing him hard on the ground.
Dodgson knelt, examining him. Wu's injection was strong as he was still out of it—even after hitting the ground. Even better were the black and blue bruises on his face and neck, and the blood was still fresh… Dodgson figured his guys had kept him in line—they maintained control of the situation. Given how difficult Nedry could be, he was fine with them doing anything to bring him back—especially physical violence. He was brought back alive and that's all that mattered…
"Now that's what I'm talking about—this is exactly what I expected. All of you delivered—literally!"
Sonya joined Lopez, Tembo, and Wu at the back of the van as Dodgson stood upright and heaped high praises on them.
"The duct tape is a stroke of genius. Excellent work!" He nudged Nedry's bound wrists with his shoe and spoke cheerfully to him as though he could respond. "Welcome back, Benedict Arnold!"
Nedry barely stirred. He appeared to have heard Dodgson as he pulled back slightly. Dodgson figured it was an automatic reflex. Even if he was slowly coming out of it, it didn't matter. Things were about to go from bad to worse for him once he fully awoke and Dodgson was pleased to finally have InGen's hacker under his control.
"We have a place reserved just for him in the basement, you can bring him down there," he said. "Get the stretcher."
King and Baselton left and came back minutes later. Lopez, Tembo, and Sonya assisted them in placing the unconscious Nedry on the stretcher. Dodgson checked again to make sure Nedry was completely out of it and then they wheeled their captive to his new prison.
Wu didn't bother to watch. Nor did he participate—not even when Lopez and Tembo muttered under their breath about him not helping. He ignored them. He had done his part and sedated Nedry two separate times when they captured him. The first injection wasn't as strong as the second one, but who knows how it felt for Nedry. Wu wasn't on the receiving end. He didn't want to think of what Dodgson's team had done to Nedry in the past and how he had been involved once before. He also didn't want to imagine what Dodgson had in store for him this time. Dodgson turned to him, noticing his reluctance.
"Don't look so disappointed, Henry. You're in good company now." Dodgson's ominous smile remained as he left Wu to go back inside the building with the group.
Wu didn't say anything, but he wondered about the significance behind what Dodgson said. You're in good company now. He stayed outside by himself for some time before he finally re-entered the building and headed to his office on the fourth floor. He would go down to the basement eventually, but not now. He didn't want to deal with Tembo's and Lopez's growing animosity…
On the drive back to Los Altos, Wu had interfered with Lopez's and Tembo's sick plans to "have fun" with Nedry. Wu didn't like to think about it, and he pushed that awful memory to the back of his mind where he wouldn't keep replaying it. He realized if it bothered him this much, then he couldn't imagine how horrible it was for Nedry. Right after they started with their twisted version of "fun", Wu gave him a second injection to take him out so he wouldn't feel pain or fear. Nedry had been groggy from the first injection's effects, but Wu figured being completely knocked out was better than feeling confused and terrified.
Lopez had immediately become angry at what he called Wu's "bullshit mercy" and Tembo had accused him of "turning weak and soft". The rest of the ride back was far more unbearable for Wu than it was for Nedry, who slept peacefully, completely unaware of what was happening around him. They made it clear what they thought of his "little compassionate stunt" as Tembo called it. He accepted their onslaught of hate, knowing this wasn't the beginning of his conflict with Dodgson's most loyal—and vicious—employees. It had started before that…only now Lopez seemed aligned with Tembo, whereas he used to take up for Wu. Sonya was the third runner up, but it was mainly those two that Nedry (and even Muldoon) had clashed with the most. Wu realized he would have to deal with them for the remaining time he was there—which he hoped wouldn't be much longer.
As he closed and locked the door to his office, Wu's one hope remained. He and Nedry were under the same roof now. He just needed to watch out for the right opportunity to present itself, so that he could finally leave Biosyn.
oOo
It was after nine-thirty in the morning when Corey Anderson arrived at the parking lot of Carlos and Charlie's in Silicon Valley. His co-workers told him Nedry had not returned last night. Anderson had a sinking feeling as to what happened, but he didn't want to jump to conclusions. He got out of his police cruiser and slipped on his gloves. There was no telling what he would find. Anderson approached the gray four door Nissan several hundred feet away. As he walked, he felt something smash under his sneakers. Anderson stepped back and a low whistle escaped him as he bent down to pick up the destroyed object—Nedry's glasses. As he stood back up, Anderson realized the distance of the car from where he found the glasses. It was very telling: Nedry never made it back to the car. Anderson put the glasses in his pocket and clenched his fists, making sure to maintain a firm resolve.
Before going back to the precinct, he wanted to check on the car. Walking around the car, he saw there was no sign of forced entry. He opened the doors to see if there was anything unusual left in the car or if there was any damage, showing a fight, a struggle. Nothing. Everything looked intact. He also wanted to find out if the undercover police had left any information about last night. He didn't have to wait too long as he made several calls while standing near the Nissan. No current information. He decided to call a tow truck company and have them bring back the car to the precinct. It was time for him to get back there as he knew John Hammond would show up this morning with Robert Muldoon and Ian Malcolm.
When Anderson returned to the office and checked with his department, there was still no new information. Then moments later, he got conflicting information, saying that they had lost track of Nedry. Anderson frowned. That was strange. Something seemed off about it, but for right now, he had to focus on the informant in his custody. He was in the back of the precinct in the parking lot, waiting for the tow truck to arrive when he heard on his walkie-talkie that Hammond and his group had arrived and were waiting for him. Walker sighed, frustrated. He wasn't ready to meet with them yet. He didn't have to wait long as the tow truck entered the parking lot. As the worker maneuvered the controls and set the car down in the lot, Anderson came forward and did a double-check, in case he had missed something the first time around.
Nothing.
It was as though Dennis Nedry had vanished into thin air. The only physical clue he had was his smashed glasses.
With a sinking heart, Anderson knew that could mean various scenarios. He could've been ambushed, abducted, and the worst possibility: killed. Anderson had been a detective for years though, and he knew he had to obtain as much information as he could so that he could start to piece together what might have happened. He could check the recording machines to see if Nedry's audio bugs had picked up anything. He decided to do exactly that. As he made his way to his office, one of the secretaries brought over John Hammond, Ian Malcolm, and Robert Muldoon. He opened his door and ushered them inside. As he closed the door for privacy, they all sat down on the chairs scattered around.
Anderson plopped down in his seat behind his desk, frustrated. He had no information to give them except that Nedry was missing. Things were off to a bad start, and he searched his mind for a silver lining—there had to be one. Then it came to him when he saw Hammond start to say something. He held up his hand to stop Hammond—he needed to set the tone.
"Good morning, I hope you all rested well last night."
He scanned their tired faces. Hammond was somber and Malcolm and Muldoon looked pensive.
"Tried to," Malcolm said. "Any news?"
Anderson didn't want to get into it right away, but he knew it was best to jump in. "He didn't return last night." He placed the ruined glasses on his desk in front of them. The right lenses fell out as the screw loosened and the left temple was bent.
Hammond's eyes flickered from Nedry's broken glasses to Anderson. "What happened? Where is he?!"
"May I?" Muldoon asked as he reached for the broken glasses.
"Yes," Anderson said, watching as Muldoon took them and held them up in the air, turning them over. He hadn't yet answered Hammond.
Next to Muldoon, Malcolm examined the glasses, as though trying to determine what clues may be present about what had happened to Nedry.
"We don't know where he is—not yet. I have a hunch that Dodgson's group set him up. I haven't listened to the audio yet. That's the only thing that will give us any information as to what happened."
"What about the car?" Muldoon asked, placing the damaged glasses on Anderson's desk.
"I found the glasses further away from the car. It gives the impression that he left the car and never returned, that he was outside when he ran into trouble," Anderson said. "I'll have my team dust for fingerprints and also check on any audio that might've been picked up."
"You bugged the car too?"
Anderson nodded. "Yeah, just in case Dennis met with anyone in the car. Once we have the audio picked up from him, the car, and the car's fingerprints checked out, we'll have more information."
Anderson scanned their faces, trying to read their expressions. Hammond clenched his walking cane tightly. Muldoon's stoicism revealed nothing. Malcolm was staring into his space, but the way he tapped his foot on the floor gave away the tension he was feeling. Anderson was going to address the elephant in the room when Hammond spoke up.
"Where did they take him? Do we know?"
Anderson had found his silver lining—but he had a sinking feeling they wouldn't view it the same way. "We can find out. This situation is both the best- and worst-case scenario."
Muldoon glared at him now, unconvinced. "How so?"
Wasting no time, Anderson stood up and started to set up the listening station that had the audio program linked to the bugs in Nedry's clothing. He also had extra headphones. It wouldn't take long to set it up since the team had done most of it yesterday. He answered Muldoon's question as he placed the large headphones on the desk.
"He's right in the thick of it—but it also means he's at their mercy."
Hammond stood up and joined Anderson at the listening station. He picked up the headphones and placed them on his head, hoping to hear Nedry's voice so that it would prove he was alive. He only heard steady hissing. He removed the headphones and pushed them away just as Muldoon voiced what he feared.
"They can do whatever they want to him…" Muldoon said, his voice trailing off. Hammond turned to him with a pained expression that indicated he wanted to avoid imagining the worst-case scenario.
"There better be repercussions for them," Malcolm said, turning in his chair to watch Anderson who seemed more preoccupied with setting up the listening station—than the safety concerns being brought up.
"There will be and if we hear him talking, then we know he's alive. If he's alive, he can get the information we need."
Anderson continued working on ensuring everything was set up correctly when he heard Muldoon's incensed tone.
"Dennis knew this would happen."
oOo
When Nedry woke up, he didn't know where he was. He knew he was lying on his back since the first thing he saw upon waking up was a gray ceiling. Making sure to stay calm, he breathed slowly. Walls with no windows. It was bright in the room. An incandescent light buzzed above him. His first instinct was to get the hell out of there and then he realized he couldn't move his arms and legs. Something tight and leathery encircled his wrists and ankles, and he felt the same sensation pressing against his legs and chest. With mounting horror, he realized he was strapped to a gurney. Didn't he tell Muldoon he was driving to his execution chamber? I'm about to get lethal injection, he thought.
Just when he thought it couldn't get worse, a glint of silver caught his eye. Looking to his right side, he saw a tray of surgical instruments placed on top of a stool. A scalpel, tweezers, extraction forceps, clamps, and various pairs of surgical scissors—some pointier, others longer and sharper. He squinted—not because he had lost his glasses when he was ambushed, but because he wanted to be sure that what he was seeing was real. The light reflected on the silver, proving the surgical tools were there. Dodgson had deliberately placed them where they could be seen.
A jolt of fear rippled through Nedry.
It was only a matter of time when Dodgson used those tools on him—because it certainly wasn't a matter of if. He tried twisting around, but the straps had been applied tightly and it was difficult to move. Even so, he needed to figure out where they had taken him. It was a large room with a low ceiling. There were two tables and four chairs placed near the walls. Shelves with books and papers scattered everywhere. A small desk and a sink with paper towels and two washcloths. Nedry thought he was being held captive in a basement room underneath the building's first level.
The memories of how he got here flashed through his mind, hazy and disconnected. Carlos and Charlie's restaurant. Dodgson didn't show up as planned. The strange Latino couple that watched his every movement. Lopez arrived unexpectedly. A sweet-smelling cloth forced on his face. Fighting back to no avail. A man with tinted glasses who watched from afar. Falling into a black hole. When he woke up, he tried to move to the corner of the van to protect himself and he vaguely remembered Tembo grabbing his ankles and dragging him forward. Waking up was the worst part because his captors took it as an open invitation to punch and kick him for what felt like forever—until mercifully, someone knocked him out with a syringe for the second time. A prolonged period of blackness. Stop-and-go motion. He couldn't remember if he had been thrown to the ground. He had sensed someone standing over him, their deep voice echoing, "Welcome back, Benedict Arnold!" It sounded like Lewis Dodgson, but he didn't know for sure. Another black hole in his memory.
Then he woke up to where he was now. His heart was starting to pound and then hammer against his chest rapidly again in quick succession. Those damn heart palpitations had started again and he forced himself to breathe slowly. Even that was difficult as his chest tightened. He knew what he had to do: put his panic in a box and bury it—or try to. Shove it to the back of his mind although the physical sensations had taken over.
Don't be surprised—you shouldn't be, Dennis. The phrase repeated in his mind several times…
He already knew there was a huge chance of this happening and now that he was here, he had to mentally focus on two things: staying alive and working off his charges. In his mind, his work started the moment he called Dodgson and when he drove out of the parking lot. He remembered John Hammond, Robert Muldoon, and Ian Malcolm watching him leave—but he had to put them out of his mind now and concentrate. The tasks seemed easy when spoken about, but its execution would be difficult: elicit information from the people he had once worked with, while also trying to extract Henry Wu from "the raptor pen". He knew it wouldn't be a walk in the park when he heard them speaking to him. Fear started creeping up his spine, and he had to suppress it as much as possible.
"Look who decided to finally wake up," Raúl Lopez said as he adjusted the headrest, elevating it so that Nedry wasn't completely lying flat.
"About damn time," Sonya Durant added, playing with the strap on his right ankle.
Roland Tembo stood at the foot of the gurney, holding his shotgun. "You would've been better off showing up at that restaurant with a SWAT team. I'm glad you didn't though. I haven't experienced a thrilling hunt like that in quite some time."
Lopez joined Tembo and Sonya, so that they were all facing him.
"I bet you wish you were back in your cage." Lopez glared at Nedry. "Not to worry though, you're exactly where Dr. Dodgson wants you."
"We told you he wanted to speak with you, remember that?" Sonya asked, offering him a wide smile. "Dr. Dodgson has something special planned just for you." She went over to the tray of instruments and held up the extraction forceps before placing it down on the tray.
All three individuals were on Nedry's list of people he never wanted to see again.
When it came to who he ranked the worst (and hated the most), Nedry always chose Lopez. Sonya knew he had liked her at one time and enjoyed teasing him in a manner that was cruel and mocking. Tembo acted like he was the predator and Nedry was the prey that he enjoyed hunting and capturing. Lopez though—he was vindictive and always acted like Nedry was competing against him. He loved throwing Nedry's incarceration in his face to shame him. Their brutal fight when Nedry revealed that he had been siding with InGen the entire time—after Biosyn had controlled the island and park staff for months—was a culmination of their rivalry that had started ever since the time Lopez had acted on Dodgson's orders to free Nedry from prison. With every passing assignment they had working under Dodgson, Nedry's and Lopez's mutual hatred intensified until that final point when it exploded—and Muldoon had stopped Lopez in the nick of time from killing him.
To add to what Sonya had said (and reading Nedry's mind), Tembo mentioned that exact incident. "We'll see how you fare on your own, since Robert Muldoon's not here to come to your rescue."
Nedry shrugged. He couldn't talk because of the duct tape covering his mouth.
"Don't cry," Lopez said, pretending to wipe tears from his eyes. "We know you miss your buddy."
"Let's not waste any more time." It was obvious that Tembo would be taking the lead. "We're gonna play a game that Robert Muldoon is very familiar with."
Sonya rubbed her palms together. "Think of it as our way of welcoming you back—except we don't want you back!"
"Then why'd you bring me here if you don't want me back?" Nedry tried to ask, but his words came out as muffled sounds thanks to the duct tape.
"I'll ask you some questions and every time you don't give us the answer we want, I shoot you. Sound good?"
Nedry gave the thumbs up gesture.
"The exciting part is that you won't know if I'm using bullets, darts, or rock salt—not until I pull the trigger. I always enjoy an element of suspense, don't you?" Tembo smiled coldly at Nedry, who stared blankly at him.
Sonya yanked off the duct tape and Tembo proceeded with the "game".
"First question, why are you here?"
Lopez and Sonya watched to see Nedry's reaction.
"You let me in through the front door," Nedry snapped. "After using chloroform on me, tossing me in a van, taping and beating me up, and then, giving me a sleeping injection. I felt so welcome that I wished I had returned sooner."
"I asked why not how." Tembo shot a dart in Nedry's upper right arm.
Nedry writhed in the gurney and strained against the straps, desperate to free himself. "Shit—what the hell, Roland?!"
"That dart has truth serum in it," Tembo said, calmly. "Since we know you're incapable of telling the truth on your own."
"Sodium pentothal," Lopez added as he walked behind Nedry.
Nedry moved his head as he tried to see what Lopez was doing. Out of nowhere, he started coughing and then he shivered as a slight chill washed over him. The side effects of the drug in the dart.
"You know what I remember most about this game?" Tembo asked. "And I'm talking about the time when I was the target and not the shooter."
"Do tell." Sonya looked from Tembo who proudly handled his shotgun, to Nedry who squirmed, still reacting to the dart. She patted Nedry's head, and he recoiled from her touch. "Relax, Denny."
"Robert Muldoon was so defensive of you. Almost brought me to tears of how worried he was when I told him our team was throwing you a farewell party. If only he knew your predicament now."
"Robert and Denny are BFF," Sonya taunted. "Don't be jealous, Roland."
"BFF?" Lopez asked.
"Best Friends Forever," she explained, while trying unsuccessfully to stifle a giggle. Lopez elbowed her on the side and her laughter escaped, blending in with his.
"Your 'BFF' thought it was hilarious when he shot me with his so-called darts of truth," Tembo said as he reloaded his shotgun. "The rest of your pathetic twits at InGen thought the same thing."
"That's…not my…fault…you deserved…worse…"
Nedry tried to speak, but his arm felt like the skin had been ripped off, and if that wasn't bad enough, he was fighting against an onslaught of drowsiness. He didn't realize that Tembo was referring to the time when Dodgson had the group beat him up at the jail. Or how Muldoon had interrogated Tembo that same night. It was identical to what Tembo was doing to him now. He didn't even hear them laughing at his and Muldoon's hard-earned respect. When Nedry looked up again, he thought he was swimming underwater, and that Sonya and Tembo were giants. There had to be more than sodium pentothal in that dart.
"Answer the question or you'll get worse than truth serum." Lopez pulled back Nedry's hair, exposing his neck and turned to Tembo. "If he bullshits again, aim for his neck."
"With pleasure." Tembo raised his shotgun and aimed in Nedry's direction again. "We're still on the first question—why are you here?"
Sonya laughed, egging him on. "Let's see how many lies he spews out. Guess it means he'll become a human dartboard."
Nedry pulled himself together when he heard what Sonya suggested. He was reminded of when he told John Hammond that he may not make it out alive. Still, he couldn't let on just yet why he was there. Lopez unexpectedly released him and went to stand near the tray of surgical instruments, so he still had time…
"You guys said Dr. Dodgson wanted to talk with me, so here I am."
The dart flew right over his head. His instinct was to duck to avoid being struck, although the dart's head was already firmly planted in the wall. He heard them roaring with laughter and his stomach twisted into knots, knowing his terror was their entertainment. It was hard to believe that he had once worked together with these same people to cause hell for InGen. If I knew then what I know now… Nedry craned his neck when he saw the dart an inch above him. Any closer and the dart would've embedded itself in his head. He turned back to see Tembo grinning widely, amused. Nedry's heart banged against his ribs, and he forced himself to breathe evenly. His hands trembled when he imagined Tembo hitting his mark next time. Counting to ten inside his head, he balled his hands into tight fists when he got to seven. Based on what Tembo said next, Nedry knew he had missed on purpose—which made it worse.
"I'm a dead shot, but I also enjoy toying with my prey."
"I can tell."
"I'll hit my mark next time—so you better give us the answer we want."
"Only if you ask the question I want."
Tembo ignored Nedry's flippant reply and enunciated his words, ensuring his message was clear. "Why. Did. You. Come. Back. To. Dr. Dodgson?"
Nedry met Tembo's furious glare and contemplated his response. A prickly sensation spread across his back as his own aggravation took over. They were playing sick mind games with him. Asking him the same question repeatedly, while making it sound like he willingly showed up on their doorstep, asking to speak to Dodgson. Like he and Dodgson were great friends reconnecting after a decade of lost contact. They completely twisted the narrative on purpose, trying to brainwash him into doubting his reality. When he remembered Lopez's and Tembo's cruel taunts, he knew they had enjoyed kidnapping him at Carlos and Charlie's—and he never wanted them to know how terrified he had been that night. As frightened as he was at that time, he was angrier now, so Nedry did what he did best…
"I have a more important question for you, since you make it seem like I came over to sell Girl Scout cookies to Dodgson—actually two questions."
Tembo stood at the foot of the gurney, ready for anything.
"Why. Did. You. Abduct. Me? And. Why. Do. You. Keep. Pretending. That. You. Didn't?" Nedry paused, knowing what he was risking, and then went for it. "Bonus question—what happened to your dog collar?"
He knew he'd pay for mocking Tembo the moment he saw the quick movement of the shotgun aimed at him. In an instant, the dart landed in his upper chest. He squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his teeth, trying to bear the searing hot pain wrapped around his chest like a scarf of fire. Before he had time to process it, Tembo walked over and casually shot another dart in his left thigh. A yelp of pain escaped from him. Nedry hated that because he didn't want to give them the satisfaction of knowing their torture tactics were effective. Once again, he found himself breathing heavily as he tried to contain his pain. He thought he heard Tembo speaking.
"Bonus dart."
Lopez's and Sonya's howling laughter almost drowned out his concentration. I can't take much more of being target practice, Nedry thought. He decided to tell the truth without telling the entire truth.
"What happened…dog…collar?" Nedry sputtered in between rapid breathing.
"I asked first," Tembo said. He was the only one who remained serious and detached.
"At least answer his question about your neck brace," Sonya said, still laughing.
"I don't need it anymore, my neck healed up quite well. If you want your neck to stay intact, then you'll answer the question."
"'Cause…" Taking a deep breath, Nedry shoved the pain down. He needed to find a point to concentrate on so that he wouldn't lose his mind. He focused on his feet at the end of the gurney—his sneakers—that would work. He refused to give them any more satisfaction of seeing him writhe in pain. "…I have to…see him."
"See who?" Sonya asked, looking from Nedry to Tembo.
"Someone…someone here…"
"Let's try this one more time." Tembo wore a distant smile; he was glad that he finally got an answer out of Nedry. "That's a vague answer, but I'll force you to talk, one way or another. Who did you come back for? If not Dodgson, then who?"
Nedry kept his focus on his sneakers. It was working and his fear was subsiding. "It's Henry…" He inhaled heavily to manage the pain. "That's who I came to see…Henry-Lizard God-Wu…happy now?"
At that exact moment, the door opened and slammed shut. Lopez backed up along with Sonya. Only Tembo stood in place next to the gurney Nedry was trapped in, still aiming the shotgun in his direction and ready to fire at a moment's notice.
Henry Wu stormed over to them and made no attempt to hide his anger. When he got to the gurney, he shot Nedry a scornful glance before turning to Tembo.
"Put it down, Roland," Wu demanded while lowering Tembo's shotgun.
"On whose orders? Yours?"
"Yes, my orders."
"It's that bullshit mercy again," Lopez said, shaking his head. "Or misplaced compassion."
"It's both." Tembo said to Lopez, and then turned to Wu, scowling. "You're overstepping your boundaries, Henry." He pulled his shotgun out of Wu's grip. "I have a good mind to put you in your place."
"What's my 'place'?" Wu's voice was laced with superiority. He ignored Lopez's comment while focusing on Tembo. "If you want to talk about 'my place', just remember Lew Dodgson sees me as his right-hand man."
"Guys, that's enough," Sonya said as she got between both Tembo and Wu. She gently put her hand on Tembo's chest, willing him to step away and drop the argument.
Tembo brushed her off, forcing Sonya to step back. "You're better off remembering how you started. As an InGen traitor who jumped ship to Biosyn, seeking fame and recognition."
"I jumped ship to Biosyn for fame, just like you wanted to be the game warden of Jurassic Park, so that you'd have an excuse to hunt down a tyrannosaur. The difference, Roland? I created and you sought to destroy my creation."
"You'll never be one of us and it's only a matter of time before you stab Dodgson in the back."
Lopez and Sonya stood beside Tembo, not openly agreeing, or disagreeing with his assertion. If anything, Nedry thought they looked resigned as though these arguments broke out between Wu and Tembo often.
Wu glanced in Nedry's direction at the mention of "InGen traitor"—Nedry saw the trapped look in his eyes. It came and went fast like a shooting star soaring across the night sky, but it told him everything he needed to know. In that split-second, Wu looked far more afraid and frustrated than whatever Nedry felt in the past hour. When Wu turned back to Tembo, he had resumed his proud demeanor.
"I don't give a damn about being 'one of us'. I didn't switch to Biosyn to be your best friend. I did it for myself." He purposely ignored Tembo's prediction that he would one day betray Dodgson.
"Yourself?" Tembo chortled. "There really is nobody vainer than you."
Nedry watched them argue, assessing Wu's behavior. It was intriguing to see that Wu didn't quite fit in with the Biosyn team. He wasn't as sadistic as Tembo, Sonya, or Lopez—but then Nedry remembered Wu's participation in his beatdown and how Ellie revealed his role in helping Sonya destroy her greenhouse. Wu had a vicious streak that rarely revealed itself, but his main flaw was his obsession with fame. It was the root of his downfall. Wu wanted to be known around the world for his accomplishments with InGen, so much that he decided to go with Biosyn. Or maybe Wu had a change of heart; but covered it up under a veil of pride and arrogance. Nedry remembered telling Muldoon that Wu might be too proud or too ashamed to admit he made a mistake in joining the rival company.
"Ironically enough, Dennis here," Tembo gestured to Nedry with his shotgun, "claims to be here for you, Henry. The selfish bastard thought of someone outside of himself—even if that someone happens to be you."
"That affirms my importance then—to both Biosyn and InGen." Wu folded his arms across his chest in defiance. "I'm invaluable and irreplaceable."
"You're pulling rank as if it really matters."
"And you're being ridiculous by shooting him with 'truth serum', as if it'll make him honestly answer your questions." Wu stared at Nedry the entire time he spoke to Tembo. "He's not gonna be upfront. You all know this already."
"He just said he came here for you," Sonya said.
"You actually believe him?" Wu let out a derisive laugh as he approached the gurney now. "When he's not lying, he's being snarky and talking trash."
"That just means we can shoot him up and leave his corpse for the cops to bring to the morgue when we're finished," Lopez pointed out. "We nailed him with three darts so far."
"And many more to go," Tembo said.
"Dr. Dodgson wants him alive," Wu emphasized as he snatched the darts out of Nedry's arm, chest, and thigh. He threw them on the floor at Tembo's feet.
Tembo kicked one dart away. "Oh, he'll be alive," he mocked Wu. "He'll just resemble a used-up dartboard when we're done with him. Isn't that right, Sonya?"
"Uh-huh," she agreed, nodding enthusiastically.
"It's my turn after Roland's and Sonya's," Lopez said, laughing. "You just got here, so you go last. We may not have any darts left."
Nedry yawned, pretending to be bored, although every part of him wanted to rip through the restraints and run out of there.
"I want him alive too, so put down the damn gun." Wu continued as though none of them had spoken. He pulled out the dart from above Nedry's head and tossed it over his shoulder. "Sorry, Roland. He's not gonna be on display in your trophy room back in Mombasa. I know that's what you want."
"You have no idea what I want."
"No, it's that I don't care about what you want." Haughty as ever, Wu straightened his posture.
The door banged open, ending their argument. Howard King and George Baselton walked in with Lewis Dodgson, and he rushed ahead of them, leaving them trailing behind. Tembo stepped away from the gurney as Dodgson came over and Wu remained in place.
Despite the sharp pain tearing through his right arm, chest, and thigh—and the horror eating away at him, Nedry forced himself to remain still. He refused to allow himself to be intimidated by Dodgson, who now stood at the foot of the gurney. Dodgson stared at him for some time before speaking in a calm tone that Nedry knew all too well. The more subdued Dodgson presented, the more furious he was internally. It was only a matter of time before his destructive temper exploded.
"It's been a while, Dennis. How long?"
"I dunno." Nedry shrugged. "Maybe four or five months?" He squinted at Dodgson, as though not believing his slightly changed appearance. "Your disguises have gotten better. No more corny Ray-Ban sunglasses. Dyeing your hair now, or is that a toupee?" He cracked up laughing. "I don't know what you're going for, but you really outdid yourself this time!"
Dodgson ignored Nedry's taunts. "You had the fucking nerve to crawl back here."
"Everyone said you wanted to talk to me, so I agreed to go to Carlos and Charlie's as you requested. I didn't 'crawl back here'—you set me up."
"What were you expecting?" Dodgson asked, pretending to be curious.
"That you would be a man of your word and show up, instead of sending your lackeys to kidnap me. That's alright 'cause I miss my Biosyn buddies. Best. Reunion. Ever!"
"They did a fabulous job dragging your lying ass back here."
"Yes, marvelous. Now that I'm here, I sense a lack of trust. These straps make me feel like I'm a prisoner." He tried to lift his arms to demonstrate that he didn't like the restraints.
"Did you think we'd allow you to roam around?" Sonya asked as she caressed his arm up and down.
"Sure, why not—and keep your dirty paws off me."
Sonya yanked her hand away while Nedry shook his head in amusement.
"You're forgetting one thing," Dodgson said, pointing at him. "When you decided to show up here uninvited, you crossed into my territory—and you know what that means."
"No, I don't know what that means," Nedry shot back.
"That means you meet on my terms. My. Fucking. Terms. Like that night I told you in the cell."
Nedry stared at Dodgson, refusing to say anything.
"You know what I'm talking about, that's why you don't have the nerve to respond with a smart-ass comment."
Nedry's silence evaporated as he was infuriated with Dodgson's obvious contradictions. Dodgson was doing the same thing that Tembo and Lopez had done earlier by making it sound like he came voluntarily, although it was clear that he was abducted against his will. First, he claimed Nedry visited him on his own, and the next moment, he truthfully stated that the group had brought him back by force. He was also angry that Dodgson threw back in his face the gang beating he had endured from the team. Nedry decided he could live with that because Dodgson only broke him for a short time. The mind games he played were far worse and he knew Dodgson was doing it on purpose to throw him off.
"I didn't show up here uninvited—I agreed with your so-called 'fucking terms' to meet you at that restaurant 'for old time's sake' as you put it."
"Are we really arguing about this?" Dodgson asked, a sadistic grin flashed across his face. "We both know why you showed up in Cupertino."
"It wasn't to go out for drinks with you, so don't flatter yourself."
Dodgson abruptly changed the topic—as he usually did when he wanted to maintain control of the conversation. "Do you remember that wonderful laptop, the one you were supposed to download all of InGen's info?"
Nedry bit his lip as he tried to contain his hilarity. "I hope you liked my surprise; I made it just for you, Lew!" He busted out laughing. "That rhymes!"
"You succeeded in making me look like an ass in front of everyone at Biosyn."
"I wish I had a front row seat!"
"I bet you do, you lowlife hacker."
No one spoke. Sensing they weren't needed; King left the basement and Baselton followed soon after. Tembo looked from Dodgson to Nedry and back to Dodgson again. Dodgson remained in place, glaring hatefully at Nedry. Sonya whispered something in Lopez's ear, and he nodded. Wu stared at the wall, but every now and then he glanced at Nedry. There was a lot on his mind where they were both concerned, being former InGen employees-turned-traitors who had been lured in by Dodgson's promises, but it would have to wait until everyone was gone…
"What are you gonna do this time?" Nedry broke the tense silence. "Have the group beat me up again? Break all the fingers on my left hand?" He wiggled the fingers on his left hand and then gave Dodgson the middle finger. "From me; to you."
"I should shoot you in your fucking head right now, but death is too easy for you," Dodgson growled. "No, I'll make you wish you were dead."
Nedry yawned, indifferent to Dodgson's threat. Then out of spite, he said, "Yawn."
Wu's head turned sharply in their direction. He didn't want to know the meaning behind Dodgson's cryptic threat, nor did he think Nedry should take him lightly. Especially given that Dodgson's revenge had the potential to be far worse than the gang beating Nedry had endured.
Lopez stepped up; a wide grin painted on his face. "We'll call the cops and have them send you on a one-way trip back to your favorite prison."
"Do it. Call them."
Lopez's eyebrows shot upward. Nedry held his confused stare before Lopez finally looked away. He was embarrassed that his threat didn't produce the desired effect of silencing Nedry. Nedry's voice was deadpan when he dared Lopez to call the police on him. Sonya opened her mouth to say something and then quickly clammed up. Tembo looked resigned as though he knew this new version of Nedry was here to stay. Wu could tell from their out-of-character responses that this wasn't the reaction they were expecting.
Even Dodgson realized that they couldn't manipulate and threaten Nedry this time. Nedry no longer feared incarceration. Those days were over. None of them had any idea that he welcomed a prison sentence just before they ran into him at the sports bar. Back when Nedry was affiliated with Biosyn, everyone had thrown his incarceration in his face to shut him up. The biggest secret everyone knew was that Dodgson would contact the authorities to have him locked up again if Nedry didn't follow through on his demands. Eventually, Nedry was made painfully aware of this emotional blackmail.
"You would've been better off leaving the state of California." He snatched the scalpel and held it up threateningly in front of Nedry's face. "I'll dream up something so horrible that you'll wish you never showed your fucking face here—and believe me, Dennis, I know you more than you know your damn self." He tossed the scalpel back on the tray. "As for your pals on that cloudy island, they embarrassed the hell out of me, and I've always been one to hold a grudge."
"Don't let your hurt feelings give you a heart attack."
Dodgson's grin was skeletal. "It's only a matter of time before I strike again—and this time it'll be a shitstorm too big for them to handle. It'll make my takeover from last time look like a slumber party."
Nedry's eyebrows furrowed together, disturbed by his assertion. What the hell does he mean by that?
"They won't know what hit them and neither will you." Dodgson turned away from Nedry and faced the group. "Leave him here."
Without another word, everyone left…except Wu. Wu stood next to Nedry's gurney, appearing like he was about to engage in a conversation when Lopez called out to him.
"Let's go, Henry. We'll have time to toy with him tomorrow."
Wu nodded before leaving Nedry. I'll be back, he mouthed.
The door closed behind Wu.
"Don't bother," Nedry grumbled. He wondered how long it would take to follow through with Hammond's request of convincing Wu to return to InGen. And he hoped Malcolm had explained to Hammond the unpredictable nature of such a request.
oOo
In the dead of night, Wu returned by himself to Nedry's new basement prison. He made sure to lock the door behind him and then grabbed a seat, placing it next to the gurney. He had run into Tembo moments before—they had walked right past each other on the first floor without any sign of acknowledgment. It was just as well since Wu disliked Tembo and he knew Tembo felt contempt towards him, especially after their heated exchange earlier in the day. Wu didn't bother to think about why Tembo was hanging around on the first floor, since it was Dodgson's area. Instead, he focused on Nedry who appeared to be sleeping, but woke up the moment he sat down.
"You heard me the entire time?" he asked, surprised. "You even slept with the light on?"
"I heard you when you were coming towards the door." Nedry shrugged as though this was obvious. "And I can sleep with the lights on. Did so for two years in an upstate Cali prison."
"Figures that you're used to it."
"Remember I got locked up for committing crimes against our former employer in the name of the almighty dollar? That wonderful man, Dr. Dodgson, promised me a handsome salary for my troubles." Nedry gave an exaggerated sigh as though these were sentimental memories to recall.
"Yeah, I remember." Wu changed the topic. "If you heard me, how come you didn't hear Roland behind you that night?"
"I was too focused on Raúl and should've been paying attention to my surroundings."
"More like too focused on meeting Dodgson."
"Maybe."
A beat of silence passed.
"You look like you've seen better days," Wu said, eyeing the purplish bruises and dried blood on Nedry's face and neck.
"Well, Henry, any day not getting kidnapped and beaten up by my former teammates is infinitely better." Nedry's tone was matter-of-fact.
"I tried to stop them." Wu didn't bother to tell Nedry that he deliberately knocked him out with a second injection to prevent Tembo and Lopez from going further. He didn't expect Nedry to believe him.
"Do you want a 'thank you' card? I can get you one from Hallmark—it'll be glittery and tell you how special you are!"
Wu shook his head in disgust. He had always detested Nedry's sarcasm—although he had recently used it. "No, I just want you to know that I didn't want them to go that far."
"They were following Lew's orders, and so were you—like a good little Dodgson whore!"
"You put yourself in this predicament," Wu shot back, angry that Nedry refused to accept his proverbial olive branch. The term "Dodgson whore" went over his head.
"I agreed to meet him at Carlos and Charlie's. I didn't agree to be abducted. Enough of that nonsense. You came back down here, so what do you want?"
Wu glanced around the basement, unsure of how to answer Nedry's question. It was strange to be here, considering his accommodations on Isla Nublar had been far more welcoming and inviting. His own living quarters in the staff lodge, the recreation room where he, Harding, Arnold, and Muldoon used to play ping-pong, watch television… On some occasions they would drink when Muldoon was feeling in a generous mood to share his alcohol. Missing what he had with InGen gnawed at his conscience, and lately, it was becoming harder to ignore.
"Let's try a different question. Where do you sleep? Or better yet, how do you sleep at night? Dodgson has a cot and sheet for you. Maybe a plush lizard doll to hold onto when you have nightmares." Nedry chuckled.
"Something like that—minus the plush dino doll. We don't leave here. After we got kicked out of the main headquarters in Cupertino, Dodgson—" Wu stopped. Why was he being open with Nedry anyway? No, he had to maintain control of the situation. "Why are you here? What the hell do you want?"
Nedry tried to raise himself, although the straps held him down. "I'm gonna cut to the chase: Hammond wants me to convince you to return to InGen."
Wu opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out.
"They know you're the one who's been calling the control room. I told them to call you back, but they thought me convincing you to return would be more effective—don't ask me why. I think it's silly that you call and hang up, making prank calls—even breathing without saying anything—that's creepy as hell!"
Wu's eyebrows rose, clearly shocked at what Nedry had revealed. He wasn't lying after all. He wasn't sure what threw him off more: Nedry's honesty or that Hammond had sent him on a quest to bring him back to InGen. He sighed and looked over his shoulder. Thankfully, no one was around.
"Code, okay?"
Nedry nodded, understanding what Wu meant and then took the suggested approach. He shifted as he tried to get comfortable in the gurney.
"Ever miss the good ol' days? You know, back during the construction?"
A wistful smile briefly lit up Wu's face before quickly disappearing. It was a genuine smile, although brief. "We were a family."
"A dysfunctional one," Nedry added. "Robert was the drunk, Ray was the worrywart, Gerry was silent but deadly with his occasional jabs. You were the goody-two-shoes of the bunch."
"You were the black sheep."
"Hell yeah, I was! Remember all those times Robert got drunk in the recreation room? And you and Ray tried to cover for him?!"
"We even tried to hide it from John!" Wu was surprised to find himself laughing. It felt good to laugh about a happy memory related to InGen. He was so miserable with Biosyn, although he pretended to go along with whatever the rest of the team did.
"Or even better—we hid it from Don Gennaro." Nedry nodded as though he and Wu had agreed on a top-secret conspiracy.
"That was great." Then another memory popped up for Wu. "I remember when the computer systems were glitching and Hammond was looking all over for you. We found you in the bathroom reading a Spider-Man comic book! Good times."
Nedry cracked up laughing. "I remember that! John was pissed off—and so was Ray! Yeah, those were good times. What about now?"
Wu's warm smile vanished instantly, and his expression became cold and flat. "What about now?!"
"What do you think of your…" Nedry grinned as he thought of his creative term for the Biosyn team, "Brood of vipers. Have you been enjoying good times with them too?"
"No." Wu noticed that Nedry was listening to him carefully. "It's every man for himself." He couldn't say it aloud: the InGen staff was more like a family and Biosyn's team operated with a dog-eat-dog mentality.
"Any regrets?"
Wu was curious about the sadness behind Nedry's tone. He didn't speak for some time and then reversed the question back to him. "What about you?"
"Oh yeah, big regrets."
"Such as?"
"How I betrayed John."
Wu slowly rose from his chair. "Why did you sell out InGen?"
Nedry looked at the clock on the opposite wall. "Is that really the time? Three a.m.?"
"Don't change the topic."
He turned back to Wu. "I was like you, Henry."
Wu scoffed. "You're nothing like me."
"I was angry, just like you were. I felt John owed me better."
Wu wasn't sure he wanted to find out Nedry's reasons. He knew he craved fame and recognition, and Nedry wanted a better salary for his efforts. Still, he decided to put distance between himself and Nedry, as though trying to create mental space between them, although they were a lot alike. More than he cared to admit.
He was reminded of the time when he went to Nedry in the visitor center's cafeteria. It was late at night after Dodgson had humiliated Nedry, and long after he had turned off the fences for the Biosyn team to poach two dinosaurs in their paddocks. Wu had felt alienated from Robert Muldoon and Ray Arnold when he went to the recreational room to relax. Even with Alan Grant, who remained cordial with him—there was a subtle tension there too. There was nobody he could confide in, who could understand his confused emotions about everything—especially the regret he was beginning to feel without realizing it. Nedry was the only one who understood the loneliness he experienced stemming from his decision to betray InGen. He understood back then and now. Wu started circling around the small confines of the basement.
"Hey, are you listening or not?"
Wu was across the room kicking around a spiral notebook. "I am. Go on."
"I didn't start because you find that notebook far more interesting."
"Just talk already."
Much to his surprise, Nedry revealed what Wu had always wondered about, but never asked…
"I was angry at Hammond for keeping me in the dark about Jurassic Park, that's the first thing."
Wu looked up in Nedry's direction; his eyebrows furrowed in disbelief. "Wait—John never told you we were trying to clone dinosaurs?!"
"He hired me to be the project supervisor when it came to designing the park's control systems, but he never let on what they were being used for. Then he wanted changes made at the last minute—not minor changes, but a major overhaul." As though he remembered to answer Wu's question, he added quickly, "I had no idea you and him were resurrecting ancient lizards. You should've left them dead, Henry!"
"And?"
"And he wouldn't pay me for the extra work. It's like he wanted me to do it for free. If you demand extra work out of me, then I'm demanding a raise, an increase in salary—something to compensate me."
Wu stopped as he listened to what Nedry was telling him. He had been walking in circles and picking up random papers. A purposeful distraction except it wasn't working. Wu glanced at the door again to make sure no one was nearby or listening in. Dodgson had never thought to put a camera in the basement, so he knew they weren't being watched and that no one was eavesdropping.
"He refused to pay me more and I refused to do the work. Things got worse from there. He sent letters to my former clients, badmouthing me, saying I was unreliable, and even threatened lawsuits against me. My career was almost derailed because of him, so when Dodgson came along and offered me all that money to steal lizard embryos—it was too good to pass up."
"Was it just about the money, Dennis? Honestly?"
Nedry sighed. "If you want me to be honest, no. John almost ruined me, so I went about trying to ruin him and make money while doing so. Giving the competitor info about InGen's secrets—it would've sent him in a downward spiral."
"Sounds vicious to me."
"It was vicious and stupid." Nedry stared down at the straps holding him down, as though trying to figure out a way he could loosen them or break free. "I hurt John, but I ended up hurting myself too."
"It's always about you," Wu spat as he approached the gurney again. "You're so damn selfish—even after all this time."
"When I left the island, I had told Robert that I wasn't sorry for betraying John, but now…" Nedry paused, deep in thought. When he continued, his tone was serious. "I regret it all. Probably because my life is in shambles."
"Like I said: selfish as always. Do you need me to spell it out for you?"
"You're right, it is selfish to think that way," Nedry conceded. "I also screwed up big time against John…against Ray…against Robert…all of you." He motioned with his head, indicating Wu.
"So now you want to act like you can think outside yourself?" Wu didn't hide his derisive laughter. "You're unbelievable."
"If I hadn't spied for Dodgson, Jurassic Park would've opened without a hitch. You would be known by now all over the world. I got caught, setting everything back and screwing up everyone's dreams, especially yours and John's. All for a temporary gain." Nedry shook his head, frustrated that Wu wasn't getting it. "Admitting that fact isn't selfish—far from it."
"Then what is it?" Wu countered.
"Let's face facts, Henry." Nedry tried to sit up, which was impossible given the straps holding him down. "I'm the reason you turned traitor and why you got pulled into Lewis Dodgson's bullshit promises of fame. And now you want to get out of this mess. That's why I'm here—to get you the hell out of this cesspool."
Nedry studied Wu, wondering what he was thinking. It was deadly silent in the basement between both men. The only sound heard was the clock's quiet ticking.
Wu stood at the foot of Nedry's gurney in the exact spot where Dodgson had stood hours ago. He was going to respond to Nedry's last statement because it hit him—hard. He was telling the truth and Wu noticed he didn't have a problem stating them aloud. Probably because Dennis fully accepted it, Wu thought. Even so, he wasn't sure if he was ready to accept it. Nor was he ready to admit to anyone that the only thing he wanted to do was return to InGen and leave Biosyn behind forever. He didn't know if he'd believe his own words if spoken aloud, although he had thought about it many times. And he couldn't face Nedry anymore—not right now.
Without another word, Wu hurried out of the basement, locking the door behind him.
Author's Notes: The mention of Benedict Arnold - no relation to Ray Arnold - is synonymous with traitor. Benedict Arnold was a general who fought on the American side of the Revolutionary War and was initially seen as a hero. He later defected to the British side and was seen as a traitor afterwards. Thank you for your continued readership. -Sassy Lil Scorpio